Origin, structure and geochemistry of a rock glacier near Don Juan Pond, Wright Valley, Antarctica
The South Fork of Wright Valley contains one of the largest rock glaciers in the McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica, stretching 7 km from the eastern boundary of the Labyrinth and terminating at Don Juan Pond (DJP). Here, we use results from ground-penetrating radar (GPR), qualitative field observation...
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ftcaltechauth:oai:authors.library.caltech.edu:104770 2023-05-15T13:38:16+02:00 Origin, structure and geochemistry of a rock glacier near Don Juan Pond, Wright Valley, Antarctica Winsor, Kelsey Swanger, Kate M. Babcock, Esther L. Dickson, James L. Valletta, Rachel D. Schmidt, Daniel F. 2020-08 application/pdf https://authors.library.caltech.edu/104770/ https://authors.library.caltech.edu/104770/3/S0954102020000139sup001.pdf https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechAUTHORS:20200806-072909060 en eng Cambridge University Press https://authors.library.caltech.edu/104770/3/S0954102020000139sup001.pdf Winsor, Kelsey and Swanger, Kate M. and Babcock, Esther L. and Dickson, James L. and Valletta, Rachel D. and Schmidt, Daniel F. (2020) Origin, structure and geochemistry of a rock glacier near Don Juan Pond, Wright Valley, Antarctica. Antarctic Science, 32 (4). pp. 273-287. ISSN 0954-1020. doi:10.1017/s0954102020000139. https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechAUTHORS:20200806-072909060 <https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechAUTHORS:20200806-072909060> other Article PeerReviewed 2020 ftcaltechauth https://doi.org/10.1017/s0954102020000139 2021-11-18T18:58:37Z The South Fork of Wright Valley contains one of the largest rock glaciers in the McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica, stretching 7 km from the eastern boundary of the Labyrinth and terminating at Don Juan Pond (DJP). Here, we use results from ground-penetrating radar (GPR), qualitative field observations, soil leaching analyses and X-ray diffraction analyses to investigate rock glacier development. The absence of significant clean ice in GPR data, paired with observations of talus and interstitial ice influx from the valley walls, support rock glacier formation via talus accumulation. A quartz-dominated subsurface composition and discontinuous, well-developed desert pavements suggest initial rock glacier formation occurred before the late Quaternary. Major ion data from soil leaching analyses show higher salt concentrations in the rock glacier and talus samples that are close to hypersaline DJP. These observations suggest that DJP acts as a local salt source to the rock glacier, as well as the surrounding talus slopes that host water track systems that deliver solutes back into the lake, suggesting a local feedback system. Finally, the lack of lacustrine sedimentation on the rock glacier is inconsistent with the advance of a glacially dammed lake into South Fork during the Last Glacial Maximum. Article in Journal/Newspaper Antarc* Antarctic Science Antarctica McMurdo Dry Valleys Caltech Authors (California Institute of Technology) Dammed Lake ENVELOPE(-68.258,-68.258,68.496,68.496) Don Juan Pond ENVELOPE(161.183,161.183,-77.567,-77.567) Labyrinth ENVELOPE(160.833,160.833,-77.550,-77.550) McMurdo Dry Valleys South Fork ENVELOPE(161.250,161.250,-77.567,-77.567) Wright Valley ENVELOPE(161.833,161.833,-77.517,-77.517) Antarctic Science 32 4 273 287 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Caltech Authors (California Institute of Technology) |
op_collection_id |
ftcaltechauth |
language |
English |
description |
The South Fork of Wright Valley contains one of the largest rock glaciers in the McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica, stretching 7 km from the eastern boundary of the Labyrinth and terminating at Don Juan Pond (DJP). Here, we use results from ground-penetrating radar (GPR), qualitative field observations, soil leaching analyses and X-ray diffraction analyses to investigate rock glacier development. The absence of significant clean ice in GPR data, paired with observations of talus and interstitial ice influx from the valley walls, support rock glacier formation via talus accumulation. A quartz-dominated subsurface composition and discontinuous, well-developed desert pavements suggest initial rock glacier formation occurred before the late Quaternary. Major ion data from soil leaching analyses show higher salt concentrations in the rock glacier and talus samples that are close to hypersaline DJP. These observations suggest that DJP acts as a local salt source to the rock glacier, as well as the surrounding talus slopes that host water track systems that deliver solutes back into the lake, suggesting a local feedback system. Finally, the lack of lacustrine sedimentation on the rock glacier is inconsistent with the advance of a glacially dammed lake into South Fork during the Last Glacial Maximum. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Winsor, Kelsey Swanger, Kate M. Babcock, Esther L. Dickson, James L. Valletta, Rachel D. Schmidt, Daniel F. |
spellingShingle |
Winsor, Kelsey Swanger, Kate M. Babcock, Esther L. Dickson, James L. Valletta, Rachel D. Schmidt, Daniel F. Origin, structure and geochemistry of a rock glacier near Don Juan Pond, Wright Valley, Antarctica |
author_facet |
Winsor, Kelsey Swanger, Kate M. Babcock, Esther L. Dickson, James L. Valletta, Rachel D. Schmidt, Daniel F. |
author_sort |
Winsor, Kelsey |
title |
Origin, structure and geochemistry of a rock glacier near Don Juan Pond, Wright Valley, Antarctica |
title_short |
Origin, structure and geochemistry of a rock glacier near Don Juan Pond, Wright Valley, Antarctica |
title_full |
Origin, structure and geochemistry of a rock glacier near Don Juan Pond, Wright Valley, Antarctica |
title_fullStr |
Origin, structure and geochemistry of a rock glacier near Don Juan Pond, Wright Valley, Antarctica |
title_full_unstemmed |
Origin, structure and geochemistry of a rock glacier near Don Juan Pond, Wright Valley, Antarctica |
title_sort |
origin, structure and geochemistry of a rock glacier near don juan pond, wright valley, antarctica |
publisher |
Cambridge University Press |
publishDate |
2020 |
url |
https://authors.library.caltech.edu/104770/ https://authors.library.caltech.edu/104770/3/S0954102020000139sup001.pdf https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechAUTHORS:20200806-072909060 |
long_lat |
ENVELOPE(-68.258,-68.258,68.496,68.496) ENVELOPE(161.183,161.183,-77.567,-77.567) ENVELOPE(160.833,160.833,-77.550,-77.550) ENVELOPE(161.250,161.250,-77.567,-77.567) ENVELOPE(161.833,161.833,-77.517,-77.517) |
geographic |
Dammed Lake Don Juan Pond Labyrinth McMurdo Dry Valleys South Fork Wright Valley |
geographic_facet |
Dammed Lake Don Juan Pond Labyrinth McMurdo Dry Valleys South Fork Wright Valley |
genre |
Antarc* Antarctic Science Antarctica McMurdo Dry Valleys |
genre_facet |
Antarc* Antarctic Science Antarctica McMurdo Dry Valleys |
op_relation |
https://authors.library.caltech.edu/104770/3/S0954102020000139sup001.pdf Winsor, Kelsey and Swanger, Kate M. and Babcock, Esther L. and Dickson, James L. and Valletta, Rachel D. and Schmidt, Daniel F. (2020) Origin, structure and geochemistry of a rock glacier near Don Juan Pond, Wright Valley, Antarctica. Antarctic Science, 32 (4). pp. 273-287. ISSN 0954-1020. doi:10.1017/s0954102020000139. https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechAUTHORS:20200806-072909060 <https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechAUTHORS:20200806-072909060> |
op_rights |
other |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1017/s0954102020000139 |
container_title |
Antarctic Science |
container_volume |
32 |
container_issue |
4 |
container_start_page |
273 |
op_container_end_page |
287 |
_version_ |
1766103296062259200 |